Negotiations between Iran and six major world powers have been already extended twice past the original June 30 deadline. But Iran also sees existing United Nations resolutions imposed on Iran’s nuclear program and the accompanying sanctions as unjust and illegal. The administration’s assumption that the Iranians’ language is not indicative of their intention lacks logic and sense and shows the administration to be buckling under pressure. No agreement would mean no restrictions on Iranian nuclear development and in that sense would be even worse than a “bad” agreement.
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Talks toward a nuclear deal dragged into a 14th day on Friday, with Tehran accusing the West of backtracking and Washington saying it was prepared to walk away. “It is unknown how long it could take for Iran to break out”.
The arms embargo was included in this package of sanctions, Lavrov said. Despite sharing similar views on a broad range of issues, Iran and Russian Federation face challenges in strengthening their relationship, including ongoing disputes over the legal regime governing shipping in the Caspian Sea and exploitation of its resources, bilateral commercial disputes, and the potential impact of closer ties on the two countries’ respective relationships with key Arab states.
Mr Lavrov, who left the talks on Iran’s nuclear programme in Vienna on Tuesday, said a nuclear deal with Tehran was “within reach” and that he was ready to return to Vienna to sign the final agreement “at any moment”. Some of these problems may be eased somewhat if the coming days (or hours) lead to a deal between Iran and the P5+1.
Moscow and Tehran are now finalising the contract for the delivery of Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, which is strictly opposed by Israel and the US. This is not a matter of power balance for Israel insofar as it is a matter of survival. Therefore, Iranian negotiators would be wise to seek the lifting of UN Security Council sanctions at the earliest possible date, to be able to argue that the backbone of the global sanctions regime has been broken and that Iran’s nuclear file is firmly en route to normalization. But the Iranian government will tightly control all of this relief.
Michael Doran, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said the shift in the United States’ approach to Iran sends a broader message of America disengaging influence in the region. “What the president is doing-quite clearly, actually-is announcing that the United States is out of the containment business as traditionally understood”.
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First, rather than forcing Iran’s leaders to choose between guns and butter, it gives them much more of both. “We also march against the arrogant powers”, Europe and, particularly, the United States. When you sit on the fence, you are distrusted by your friends, and your enemies have contempt for you-and that’s where we are. Comparing the apparent failure of current diplomacy to the American triumph in nuclear negotiations with Libya, Joseph emphasized that the Libyans embraced complete transparency because USA then had “a strategy that combined all the elements of statecraft”.
